Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 7: No Escape

Despite attack after attack going in the opening kilometers of the penultimate stage of the Tour de France Femmes, no one was being allowed to escape the peloton.  It felt like every time we saw the front of the group it was another Lidl-Trek woman attempting to launch off the front.  This time it is Lizzie Deignan going for another try with Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma) and the rest of the peloton covering her move.  At this point it had been eleven kilometers of attacks, catches, and counter attacks, over and over, and still no one was off the front.  With two big climbs awaiting the roughly 140 still in the Tour de France Femmes, I thought they would have been happy to let a small group go so they could approach the back half of a hard, hard stage a bit more easily.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra. 

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Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 6: Getting Something Going

It looked like Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek) was about pull some of the big names of the Tour Femmes out of the peloton.  Lidl-Trek has been having one of the team go off the front after another in hopes of making an escape stick.  This time Spratt's move was covered by Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez) and Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM).  Behind her one of the members of the Jumbo-Visma team was making sure the team had a member in the break if this one worked.  It didn't.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 2: A Deal for Polka Dots

A few kilometers back the cameras caught Eva Van Agt (Jumbo-Visma) with her arm on Yara Kastelijn's (Fenix-Deceuninck) shoulder.  The two seemed to be scheming up some sort of deal.  Moments later Van Agt sprinted to the bonus points line without Kastelijn contesting for the maximum bonus.  Now with a look, Kastelijn jumped free of the other two to grab the maximum Queen of the Mountain points atop the Cote de Merihac.  Van Agt was shaking her head in amusement give the amount of effort her confidant put into the sprint for the points.  I can only wonder what Anouska Koster (Uno-X) was thinking about getting the one-two work over.

Jumping forward in time, Kastelijn lost control on a wet sharp corner in a roundabout and never caught back up to the other two.  She did manage to stay upright, which can not be said for Van Agt on the descent off of the climb in the rain.  She slid off the road and into a guardrail on the rain.  I don't know the extend of her injuries, but she did not finish the stage.  I do pray she is okay and will be back racing soon.  Sadly, if a rider doesn't finish a stage, or finish inside of the time limit on a stage, their race is over.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 21: Chasing a Cheeky Move

While the early tradition of the final stage of the Tour were observed, others were not.  The team of the Maillot Jaune did not get a chance to ride around in a lap of honor before the racing began.  They did ride out of the Louvre and onto the circuit between the Place de la Concorde and the l'Arc Triomphe, but as they hit the Champs Elysees the racing began in earnest.  But the real shocker was when Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) went on the attack at the intermediate sprint.  And then having gotten the maximum points continued with his attack.  His move was covered by the teammate of the Yellow Jersey, Nathan van Hooydnock (Jumbo-Visma).  It was funny when Pogacar flicked his elbow to get the Jumbo man to pull through.  Naturally, there was no way he was going to help the man in second place try and steal time on his teammate, Jonas Vingegaard, who had the lead.  With forty seven kilometers of Champs Elysees laps to go, it isn't enough road to get the kind of gap he would need to take the lead, it does make sure we all know that he is still in the Tour and he still loves to race his bike.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 21: Toasting the Team

While this Tour has been anything put normal, still some traditions must be upheld.  One of the classics on the final day of the Tour, long before reaching Paris, is for the team of the Yellow Jersey to sip some champagne as they pose for the press.  Jumbo-Visma brought all of their team through the Tour except for one.  Wout Van Aert had left just after his team leader, Jonas Vingegaard, had opened up a seven minute lead on the man sitting in second.  Of course, that was not why he went home, it was to get there in time for the birth of his son.  So it was seven who toasted towards the camera on each side of Vingegaard.  To his left was Sepp Kuss, who's crash almost took him out of the Tour yesterday, then Wilco Kelderman, and Dylan Van Baarle, going the other way are Nathan Van Hooydonck and Christophe Laporte.  Vingegaard may have won the Tour but he couldn't have done it without the entire team.  To prove it, the team also was the winning team in this Tour, and unusual feet for the team of the Maillot Jaune.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra. 

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Tour de France 23, Stage 20: What Will Happen Next?

Once Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) has sat up from his covered attack of Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) Felix Gall (Ag2r-Citroen) was able to get back up to their wheels.  The attacks had meant that the trio had caught and dropped every stage hopeful that had been up the road at the base of the Col de Platzerwasel.  Now they were all watching each other.  With five kilometers to the end of the stage, there wasn't enough room to get the kind of gap Pogacar needed on Vingegaard to retake the Yellow Jersey, but there was the hope of reclaiming his since of self.  Felix Gall was just hoping the two would mark each other and let him ride away to take the stage.  I doubt it, I think both of the others very much want to win a mountain stage in this Tour.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 20: One More Try

All day long the team of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) had been riding on the front with Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) and his team riding right behind.  Literally everyone expected an attack to come from Pogacar, the only questions were, "when?" and "how successful?"  It finally came on the final category one climb of the Tour, the Col du Platzwasel.  Once both had lost their final teammates Pogacar went.  He was immediately covered by the Maillot Jaune of Vingegaard, but the pair quickly distanced Felix Gall (Ag2r-Citroen) and the rest of what might be called the peloton.   However, once Pogacar knew he hadn't dropped his rival, he desisted.  It showed that while he had recovered, he wasn't as strong has he had been three weeks ago.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 20: Launched by His Team

Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) set out at the start of the stage with just one goal, to secure the Maillot a Pois.  He was led to the top of the first climb, the Ballon d'Alsace, by none other than Mads Pedersen and it was Mattias Skjelmose who took him to the line.  As he went over in first place, he was followed in turn by both teammates, with Skjelmose taking second and Pedersen taking third.  Dylan Van Baarle (Jumbo-Visma) in his Dutch Champion's jersey just watched them get on with it.  He had a more important job to do.  He was on the front to look after his leaders Maillot Jaune.  Ciccone will need to go first over the first four climbs of the day to put the King of the Mountains title out of anyone else's reach.  His closest competitor, Felix Gall (Ag2r-Citroen) wasn't in the early break, so it is unlikely he will put up any resistance.  And the other, is Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) who is far more concerned with making sure he keeps his Maillot Jaune to bother with sprinting for KOM points.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 17: Stuck in Traffic

The narrow steep road to the summit of the Col de la Loze and the throngs of fans lining the course led to first one motorcycle and then another getting stuck.  As the fans tried to help getting the first motorcycle going the race commissare's car got stuck behind them.  Just to the top of the image you can see the motorcycle that Christian Vande Velde was commenting on the race from.  He was stunned at the mayhem and worried that the jam may effect the outcome of the stage.  Fortunately, Wilco Kelderman and Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) were able to thread their way through the mess and keep racing up the mountain.  Not long later the fans got everything moving again.  Vande Velde was reminded of the mess on Mont Ventoux when Richie Porte ran into the back of a motorcycle, and Chris Froome ended up running up the mountain without his bike.  At least things didn't come to that today.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 17: Solidifying Yellow

After Sepp Kuss had done what he could for his Jumbo-Visma teammates, it was time for Wilco Kelderman to take over the pace making for their team leader Jonas Vingegaard in his yellow jersey.  The pair were chasing the lone rider that was two minutes further up the Col de la Loze.  Conversely, they had already put two minutes into the white jersey of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates).  With just under ten kilometers to race in the Queen stage of the Tour, would there be enough road to catch the three guys up the road.  Also up the road was the opportunity to take the lead in the King of the Mountains competition, since the current Maillot a Pois had dropped away at the base of this final climb that carried double KOM points.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 17: Back to Help

Both UAE Team Emirates and Jumbo-Visma had put two riders into the early break with the thinking that they could either go for the stage win, or be there to help their leaders on the final climb of the day.  UAE left their guys in the break when Tadej Pogacar got into trouble at his encouragement.  Conversely, as Jonas Vingegaard's domestiques started to drop away, they pull back each of their guys one by one to come help increase the gap between Vingegaard and the struggling Pogacar.  Wilco Kelderman looks back to gauge the speed of Sepp Kuss so that his Jumbo-Visma teammates won't have to slow as they come up to his wheel.  At this point, Carlos Rogdriguez (Ineos-Grenadiers) was getting a "free" ride up the Col de la Loze with the hope of back into third place (if not higher).

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 16 ITT, The Star of the Tour

Just moments after finishing an incredibly hard stage, Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) had cameras and microphones stuck in his face, even before he had a drink or a congratulatory hug from a coach or teammate.  No wonder really, he had just won the stage, and won it by a minute and thirty eight seconds.  If you think about it you will realize that means he had just put that much time into Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) thus stretching out his lead in the Tour to almost two minutes.  Given how the racing has been so close over the first fifteen stages it begs the question of how can anyone get time on the defending champion of the Tour de France.  It does mean that the mountain stage tomorrow will be wild, both to try and close the gap and for everyone thinking this will be the time to go for a stage win.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 16 ITT: Starting His Defense

Wearing the Maillot Jaune means you get to start last in a time trial stage.  The riders roll down the start ramp in the reverse order of their standing on the general classification.  The bike racing version of the first shall be last and the last shall be first.  Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) held the race lead by a mere ten seconds, so there was everything to race for.  He had an advantage over Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) because he will know the Slovenians time checks before he gets there while Pogacar can only know the leader's times after he has already crossed the same point.  I don't think anyone has an idea how this will play out.  But it should be a thrill to watch (and paint).

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 16 ITT: Inside the Final Kilometer

Bedecked in his Belgium National Time Trial Champion's jersey, Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) was on a storming ride.  He was posting the new best time at the first three time checks out on the 22 kilometer course.  Urged on by the fans inside of the final kilometer of the stage, it was beginning to look like Van Aert may unseat the race leader from the hot seat, Remi Cavagna (Soudal-Quick Step).  He has been looking for a stage win for the previous fifteen stages, was today going to be the day?

Spoiler alert: He did have the best time when he finished, but he did not win the stage.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 15: Locked Together

Despite all of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) attempts to get away, Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) remained stuck to the wheel of the Maillot Blanc.  With another fifteen riders already having finished the stage there were no time bonus on offer for these two.  As long as the two cross the line together there will be no time gains (or losses) today.  As a show of defiance, Vingegaard pulled along side Pogacar as the pair crossed the line to finish stage 15.  So they will go into the rest day with the same ten seconds between them and wearing the same jersey as they started the day with.  When racing resumes on Tuesday it will be the individual time trial.  Vingegaard will ride last and have the advantage of knowing just how well Pogacar is riding.  Whether he can do anything about it remains to be seen.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 15: The Battle Is Behind

Stage 15 became a story of three different races all being fought out in a single stage.  First was the battle to become the new leader in the King of the Mountains competition.  That was decided in favor of Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek).  Then there is the race to win the stage.  That is about to be decided about seven minute further up the climb of the lower slopes of Mont Blanc.  And then there is the race to decide who will wear the Maillot Jaune at the end of the day, and eventually at the end of the day in Paris.  That was the race that these fans (and most of us) were most interested in.  Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) was staying glued to the wheel of the guy in second place (although he is leader the best young rider competition) Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates). Pogacar was the one who still had a teammate to help with the final climb.  Adam Yates road hard on the front making sure that Vingegaard couldn't attack.  Plus he was used in a double bluff in hopes the Vingegaard would go deep in an attack.  Just now Pogacar lets the wheel go to Yates, who rides up the road.  The ploy was to make Vingegaard think Pogacar was on a bad day and get to the front an push the pace.  This would set up a counter move by the guy in the Maillot Blanc.  The Maillot Jaune didn't fall for it, but the announcing team on NBC did.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 15: A Virtual Tie

Alas, all of the work Neilson Powless EF Education-EasyPost) has been doing to claim the Maillot a Pois and holding it longer than any American has ever done in the Tour meant he was unable to stay with the leaders on the next climb of the day.  So when Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) went over the top of the next climb, the Col de Aravis, his sprint went unchallenged.  It was cleared that Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) didn't have much interest in the King of the Mountains competition as he went over in second place.  More surprising was the Powless' teammate Rigoberto Uran didn't try to get the maximum points thus depriving the maximum points going to Ciccone.  Without doing that, Ciccone moved into a virtual tie with the American on the American team.  Since Ciccone had bested Powless on the two climbs thus far, he now had the virtual lead on the road.  It seemed unlikely that he would need to worry about the erstwhile wearer of the coveted Maillot a Pois.  In the distance you can just make out another of the American's in the race. That is Lawson Craddock (Jayco-Alula) riding on the Australian team.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 14: They Fought to a Draw

Both Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) had traded attacks all of the way up and down the Col de Joux Plane.  But by the time they swept into Morzine, the two found themselves chasing a lone leader, Carolos Rodriguez (Ineos-Grenadiers).  The two were so focused on each other over the top of the final climb, they didn't jump onto the wheel as he went pass.  Each wanted to catch the guy up the road, since there was an eight second bonus for the stage winner.  Second and third place carried five and three seconds respectively. Vingegaard had gained a net three seconds over the bonus point atop the climb increasing his virtual lead to eleven seconds.  The way they are flying into town, it is highly unlikely the jersey will change hands today.  It is even more likely that tomorrow's stage is going to be bonkers.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 14: Keeping Him in Sight

Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) did his patented attack with just under two kilometers left to climb on the Col de Joux Plane.  He quickly got away and built a lead of six seconds on the fan packed climb.  To his credit, Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) didn't panic, nor go deep to match the Slovenian's acceleration.  Instead, he should some maturity and stayed within his own rhythm and slowly bridge back up to the Maillot Blanc.  After they rode together for a couple of hundred meters, Pogacar tried again but was block by a pair of motorcyles trying to get still and TV images of the move.  Whether their presence ruined Pogacar's chances or not, the pair stayed together to just shy of the summit.  Then it was Vingegaard jumping Pogacar and grabbing the maximum bonus seconds on offer, a feat everyone expected his adversary to accomplish.  Now it was time to fly to the finish and contest the sprint for those bonus seconds.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour de France 23, Stage 14, Watching & Waiting

Rafal Majka (UAE Team Emirates) went to the front of the drastically reduced peloton up the final climb, the Col de Joux Plane.  Majka set the pace, ahead of Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma).  Each was riding for their team leaders, Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard respectively.  Despite all of Jumbo-Visma's efforts to isolate Pogacar, it was UAE who had the extra man, Adam Yates.  Yates started the day in fifth place over all, so he was not only riding for Pogacar, it had to be acknowledged that he was also helping himself as well.  Kuss was not quite as well placed at the start, but he was just in the top ten in the Tour.

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